Load supporting structure



Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for setting pipe in wells and hasparticular reference to setting tools whereby a strainer with liner andpacker thereon may be lowered into the well and fixed in position.

In the operation of devices such as this the string 01' pipe which isemployed to lower the strainer and packer assembly into fixed positionat the bottom of the well is termed the setting string. This string ofpipe usually has a detachable connection with the assembly which islowered into the well and may after the setting operation has beenperformed be released and removed from the well. It has become somewhatcommon to use the setting string as a tubing to flow the fluid from thewell.

A difficulty may arise, in connection with the use of the setting stringas a flow line, that sand may pack in around the lower end of the stringand within the strainer so that when it becomes necessary to remove oradjust the position of the tubing or setting string it will be found tobe fixed or frozen in position due to the packed sand so that it can notbe withdrawn.

My invention has as an object to provide a connection between thesetting string and the liner above or within the liner which can bemanipulated so as to be releasable by a righthand turn in case the lowerend thereof becomes sanded up and stuck in the well.

I desire to provide a back off connection which will be inoperativeduring the operation of lowering and setting the strainer but which willbe rendered operative thereafter in the setting of the packer.

I desire to provide a locking engagement between the packer settingdevice and the lower end or wash pipe employed upon the setting stringwhich will allow unscrewing of the said connection until the string hasbeen properly manipulated in the well so as to release the locking meansand allow the connection, to beunscrewed.

The invention comprises a mandrel connected with the wash pipe andhaving thereon a looking sleeve which prevents unscrewing of the mainportion of the setting string from the wash pipe until the locking meanshas been released by a relative upward movement of the locking sleeve onthe mandrel.

The invention resides in the particular construction of the device andthe details of which will be better understood from inspection of thedrawings herewith, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through the lower end of thewell showing my device therein, certain parts being broken away forclearness.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but showing the packerin set position and the 5 locking connection released.

Fig. '3 is a similar longitudinal section showing the mandrel and upperportion of the setting string released from the wash pipe.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the packer set- 10 ting device and thelocking mechanism connected therewith,

Fig. 5 is a broken detail of the lower end of the latching sleeve.

Fig. 5a is a bottom plan View of said sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the plane 6-6 of Fig. 4. I

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the mandrel and locking sleeve removedfrom the wash pipe.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4 but with thelocking means in released position.

Fig. 9 shows the parts disconnected from each other.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the latching slips employed with thepacker setting mechanism; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional View of the lower end of v the well showing thestrainer and liner sanded up so as to prevent the removal of the washpipe at the lower end of the setting string.

I contemplate employing my setting device in connection with anyordinary type of strainer and packer such as are now commonly used inoil field work. In the drawings, such an assembly is illustrated.Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that thestrainer which is shown at I has at the lower end thereof a housing 2for the back pressure valve and a lower guide shoe or bit 3 to guide theStrainer into the lower end of the hole and not allow rotation thereofin setting the assembly upon the bottom. The strainer I may be of anyordinary type. I have shown a perforated pipe. Said pipe is secured bythe coupling l to the lower end of the packer barrel 5. Said barrel hasan upwaredly extending portion 6, which has a ratchet surface on theouter side in the usual manner to cooperate with a latching sleeve 1 towhich the upper end of the canvas packer 8 is connected. To the latchingsleeve 1 is secured the setting barrel 9 at the upper end of which issecured a special collar I0 adapted to engage with the packer settingdogs. For this purpose there is an inner undercut portion having a lowerPatented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to load-supporting structures and moreparticularly to an openwork metallic structure adaptable for use eitheras a finished flooring or as a reinforce for a filled flooring andwhich-is susceptible to manufacture for withstanding different loads andloading conditions. It has uses in the construction of floors androadways for carrying heavy as well as light traflic of all kinds andmay be used for any of the varied suitable. Among the objects of theinvention is to provide a load-supporting structure having a minimumamount of metal as compared with load-supporting structures of the sameclass designed for like load and span conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary metallicload-supporting structure utilizing truss members or open-web joists assteel stringers, and a load-bearing structure comprising grating whichis held in place upon the truss members by cross-bars which arethemselves in rigid interlocking relationship with the truss members.The truss members are spaced from one another in parallel relationshipand are laterally braced by the cross-bars which extend from one anotherthrough openings in the truss members. The cross-bars also providevertical support to the upper and lower chords of the truss membersintermediate the truss elements.

Another object of my invention is to provide a load-supporting metallicstructure which is capable of use either as an open flooring or as asolid flooring consisting of the metallic load-supporting structurefilled with concrete or other filling material, with suitable allowancein strength of its members being made according to whether the flooringis to be open or filled.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafterset forth in the accompanying specification and claims and demonstratedby the drawing which shows by way of illustration a preferred embodimentand the principle of my invention, and what I now consider the best modein which I contemplate applying that principle. Other embodiments of theinvention employing the same principle may be used and structuralchanges made by persons skilled in the art within the spirit of theappended claims without departing from the invention.

For example, while there are a variety of grat-' ing structures whichare suitable for the loadbearing or road-surfacing structure, it issufficient to illustrate one of such grating structures.

5 In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows the general apuses for which metallicgratings are pearance in plan of one arrangement of the openworkmetallic load-supporting structure.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the end of a panel of theload-supporting structure with part of the load-bearing grating omitted.

The load-supporting structure has utility either with or without afilling of concrete or other material, it being understood that when thefloor or roadway for which the structure is' to be used requires afilling, the various elements of the 10 metallic skeleton or frame willbe so proportioned as is usual in the design of slabs, allowance andreduction in weight of metal being made for the additional strengthprovided by concrete or other filling material. The skeleton or metallicframe may be completely fabricated in panels and transported to theplace of installation where all that remains to be done is to. place thepanels in position upon the supporting beams or other substructure andto secure the panels to the substructure and adjacent panels to eachother. If filling is to be done, trucks carrying the filling mayberunover the metallic framework for that purpose. The panels may be made inany convenient lengths and widths. The end of a single panel with partof the load-bearing grating I0 omitted is illustrated in Fig. 2. Ingeneral the panels may be laid end to end and side to side asillustrated in Fig. 1, but owing to the adaptability of the structure touniformity in appearance the panels may be staggered with reference toeach other.

The principal load-carrying members are stringers i I in the form oftruss members having flanges l2, l3 at their upper and lower edges andwebs it which are provided with openings l5, l6 and IT. The webscomprise diagonally extending truss elements l8, H! which cross eachother in pairs. While other forms of truss members may be provided, Iprefer to use one-piece steel truss members or open-web joists ofstandard construction which are available in 'difierent weights anddepths. The size of the truss members selected is dependent upon theload-carrying qualities which are specified for the particular floor orother structure for which the panels are to be 5 used. v

The truss members of a single panel are arranged parallel to one anotherand are interconnected by a number of cross-bars 20 which extendcross-wise of the panel and through r aligned openings H. The cross-barsare provided with notches 2 I, 22 in their upper and lower edges forengaging the upper and lower portions of the truss members.

Projections v 23 are provided intermediate 10. A packer and strainerassembly including a packer expanding barrel, in combination with asetting device including a wash pipe, means to detachably engage saidwash pipe .at the lower end of said strainer,.a.nipple at the upper endof said wash pipe, a mandrel screwed within said nipple, a lockingsleeve on said mandrel, locking means thereon engaging said nipple toprevent unscrewing of said mandrel, lugs on said mandrel engaging withinslots in said sleeve, means on said sleeve to engage said packerexpanding barrel and support said sleeve, whereby said mandrel may bemoved relatively downward to release said locking means.

11. A packer and strainer setting device including a wash pipe, amandrel, means releasably connecting said pipe and mandrel, a clutch onsaid mandrel and pipe normally preventing relative rotation, and meanson said clutch to engage a support and hold said clutch from downwardmovement, whereby a relative downward movement of said mandrel willdisengage said clutch to permit relative rotation .of said mandrel andpipe.

12. A packer and strainer setting device including a wash pipe, amandrel, means releasably connecting said pipe and mandrel, a clutch onsaid mandrel and pipe normally preventing relative rotation, and meanson said clutch to engage a support and hold said clutch from downwardmovement, whereby a relative downward movement of said mandrel willdisengage said clutch to permit relative rotation of said mandrel'andpipe, and means to thereafter prevent re-engagement of said clutch.

13. In a setting string for strainers and the like, a threaded nipple, amandrel on said string secured thereto, a sleeve upon said mandrel,interengaging clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple, frangiblemeans to retain said sleeve in position with said clutch membersengaged, dogs on said sleeve, and means to urge the lower ends of saiddogs resiliently outwardly, whereby said dogs may be engaged upon asupport and said'frangible means broken to release said clutch.

14. A setting string, a mandrel thereon, a connecting nipple screwedupon the lower end of said mandrel, a clutch sleeve on said mandrel,interengaging teeth on said sleeve and said nipple, detachable meanssecuring said sleeve to said mandrel, dogs on said sleeve adapted to beengaged upon a support to detach and move said sleeve to disengage saidteeth and allow unscrewing of said mandrel from said nipple.

CICERO C. BROWN.

